Priyanshu Painyuli: If The role Is Very Demanding And Challenging, I Don't Think Screen Space Is Important

Priyanshu Painyuli is one such actor who might not have a huge body of work but whatever he has done has left a mark on the audience. Priyanshu who starred in 'Mirzapur', 'Rashmi Rocket', 'Unpaused: Naya Safar', and 'Extraction' among others believes in doing quality work rather than quantity. He wants to be someone who people remember for his work even if he has a small role in a film or a show. His recent release was 'U-Turn' where he played a police officer. The actor has 'Pippa' in the pipeline which also stars Ishaan Khatter and Mrunal Thakur. 

Post the release of 'U-Turn', Garima Das of Outlook had a Zoom conversation with Priyanshu Painyuli where he spoke about playing a man in uniform for the second time after 'Rashmi Rocket', expressed his desire to do a rom-com, and a lot more. Here are the excerpts from the interview: 

'U-Turn' had already been made in numerous other languages before. Have you seen the film before?

I think one, I watched a long time back, the Samantha (Ruth Prabhu) one online. I think it was released in 2016 or something, the Telugu one. When I heard this one, it was post-lockdown when Arif (Khan) told me that they were doing this and he was narrating to me. This was very very different and take and the interpretation was different. When he finished the narration, he told me that it's the adaptation of a South film, I was like 'oh I have seen this' but because of the second half being very different and the characters being treated very differently and the end was very very different which I really liked. 

You play a cop in the film. Did you just go by the material provided or you took some workshop or training to get the nuances of a cop perfect?

Not really workshops. My advantage-one is I keep noticing people a lot...I keep observing everyone. When I am driving I keep looking at a cop and keep looking at people around. Also, I come from an army background. So people in uniform help in a certain way in carrying the uniform whether it's a defense in cop or anywhere else. The way they carry their uniform, the personality that I really wanted to bring it on and here with Arjun Sinha, the main idea was to bring his investigative side of how he believes in one case and be very strict about and be very harsh it when he has to get the information out. But the other side of him shows how soft and caring he is with a case or a person. So, there are two sides to him. That was the idea to bring out the human side of a cop which is a big responsibility especially when you are playing someone in uniform. I think it did well because people really liked especially after 'Rashmi Rocket', people are saying I look good in a uniform role, so I should keep doing it. I portray them very well. These two have been given good points for my uniform role and hopefully in the future also, I keep doing more roles in uniform.

'U-Turn' was centered around Alaya F’s character. While picking up scripts, do you ever worry about the screen space that you are going to get?

No. See what happens is that from the initial days only, I have realised how important it is in the story that makes it more heavier. Sometimes you can be in a full film or a series and people won't remember you or you have no impact. It is how much you are doing to the story, how much impact you can have, and how much interesting and heavy the character is to play. And of course, how I can turn it around and impact the audience. I think from the beginning when I have done....I did 'Rock On 2' which was my first film, I had only four scenes but those scenes are remembered by people even today. Even 'Bhavesh Joshi' for example. I think if the role is very very demanding and challenging, I don't think that the screen space is very important. Of course, leading a story is another responsibility which is on your shoulder which is what is happening now. You will see where I am having full-fledged roles as well. I am doing that also but when I am choosing, I am also choosing who am I working with, and how the story and character are going to be for me. 

You’ve been in Bollywood for many years now. Do you feel you’ve yet not been able to sell yourself or rather your talent to the mainstream filmmakers or you just want to do content-driven films?

I want to do mainstream cinema and I am waiting for the right one to come to me. I think hopefully that also happens soon. I have missed one-two chance. I think after the pandemic things got changed a bit in the sense of how people are looking at things. Now there are a lot of OTT actors who are doing mainstream cinema. I really want to do a nice rom-com because I have done theatres and stage shows in the past and I am known for my comedy. I have done serious content on OTT and there is definitely something in the pipeline. I am hoping soon that you will hear some good news in the mainstream cinema as well. 

With which actresses you would like to do a rom-com?

There are many. I would love to work with Janhvi Kapoor or Sara Ali Khan as I really like their energy and the way they have done their work. Also, Alia Bhatt. 

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